Forgiveness to walk again
by Traitor of All Traitors
Summary: Inspired by the most recent episode, Khalil is clinging to life in the hospital when a man known for working in the shadows pays him and sees his need to atone for his past crimes and seek redemption.


Creation began on 01-30-19

Creation ended on 01-30-19

Black Lightning

Forgiveness to walk again

A/N: My first story for _Black Lightning_ motivated by one of the episodes. I'm sure you can already guess what is to happen.

In the silence of the hospital, Khalil Payne, formerly known as Painkiller, suffered a slow death as all attempts to help him recover, all legal attempts to help him recover, had failed due to the unique circumstances of his condition. But nobody saw the unknown stranger that suddenly appeared in his room.

"A man that regrets his violent actions and seeks to atone for them for as long as it takes is a man on the path to redemption," Khalil heard him speak, but couldn't see who they were. "I wasn't there to save you from getting shot and losing your future during the march, but I'm here now to make sure you don't lose your life. A victim-turned-villain-turned-victim seeking absolution shall have hope to do right and stand in the light of God's embrace when it is truly their time to enter his kingdom."

Khalil then felt a hand on his back where his spinal implant once resided before Tobias Whale ripped it out of him. Then, he felt a strange warmth from the hand that spread across his whole body; he almost thought of screaming, but he didn't believe this man was out to kill him. So long as Tobias thought he was dying, he was not a threat to him or his operations.

"Get some rest," the man told him. "You'll need it for when you get out of here. Help take Tobias Whale down, serve your penance, get out and do something with your life that everyone can be proud of. And when I say 'everyone', I also mean Ms. Pierce, too."

Then the man removed his hand and walked away.

-x-

Nobody could explain it, not even the physicians, who thought it was impossible. But somehow, Khalil's spine, his original spine before the implant…had regenerated. It was an unprecedented rate of recovery, almost overnight, and nobody did anything beyond monitoring his vitals. Nobody could do anything because the toxin his body produced after his spinal implant made using anesthesia and other medication to alleviate pain difficult, and because his condition was deteriorating, putting him inside a pod for later recuperation was also impossible.

"…But…if his condition has improved, then is he well enough to testify?" Bill Henderson asked the doctors regarding Khalil.

The only answer they could really give, however off they felt this miraculous recovery was…was that Khalil was able to testify.

Standing on his feet once again, Khalil felt like God (or someone like him) gave him back his life and told him what he needed to do.

"How do you feel right now?" Jennifer Pierce asked him as she helped him take a few steps around the room.

"Good," he answered her. "I feel good. Thank you."

-x-

Tobias wasn't happy right now. The police were building a case against him that was guaranteed to make a greater impact on locking him away forever. They were going after everything from the members of the One-Hundred gang to his unaffiliated associates that might've known something about him that they didn't but could be used against him. But the worst thing to be wrong for him right now was that Martin Proctor's suitcase was missing and he knew where he had it last!

"Where is it?!" He yelled out.

-x-

"Where is it?!" He heard Tobias yell out as he trashed his dwelling looking for the suitcase. "Where is it?!"

Fortunately, Tobias wouldn't find it because the same guy that visited Khalil and restored his spine decided to pay him a visit and took the briefcase…and made sure that Peter Gambi got it to ensure that nobody else could exploit such a dangerous power that was laying in wait for an opportunity to be exploited for the wrong reasons.

"These moves were for the people of Freeland," he expressed as he watched, through a glass sphere, as Black Lightning and Thunder saw Tobias Whale being taken away by the police to stand trial with Khalil Payne as the star witness to testify against the albino man and his criminal enterprise. "These moves are for embracing the rights of the red, white, blue…and black."

Fin

A/N: Anyone reading this, I hope you'll feel better knowing the deviated outcome here. Peace!


End file.
